Morphology,biomass and nutrient status of fine roots of Scots pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis>) as influenced by seasonal fluctuations in soil moisture and soil solution chemistry

A field monitoring study was carried out to follow the changes of fine root morphology, biomass and nutrient status in relation to seasonal changes in soil solution chemistry and moisture regime in a mature Scots pine stand on acid soil. Seasonal and yearly fluctuations in soil moisture and soil solution chemistry have been observed. Changes in soil moisture accounted for some of the changes in the soil solution chemistry. The results showed that when natural acidification in the soil occurs with low pH (3.5–4.2) and high aluminium concentration in the soil solution (>3–10 mg l^–1), fine root longevity and distribution could be affected. However, fine root growth of Scots pine may not be negatively influenced by adverse soil chemical conditions if soil moisture is not a limiting factor for root growth. In contrast, dry soil conditions increase Scots pine susceptibility to soil acidification and this could significantly reduce fine root growth and increase root mortality. It is therefore important to study seasonal fluctuations of the environmental variables when investigating and modelling cause-effect relationships.     

Scots pine growing on forested mires in Abernethy Forest,Strathspey, Scotland

Summary

A substantial proportion of the Abernethy Forest Reserve has Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) growing on the surfaces of a variety of mires. The hydrology of the mires has been affected by drainage and peat cutting but this area is unusual in having had a long period of protection from grazing by domestic stock. There are three main types of pine populations found on these mires. Woodland bog comprises predominantly bog vegetation with abundant pine seedlings due to the heavy seed rain from the surrounding woodland. Only a few very small trees survive, which are stunted, heavily diseased and have very low seed production. Wooded bog also comprises predominately bog vegetation but there are scattered mature trees of a moderate height with an open canopy. The trees are fertile and can form uneven aged stands with regeneration. Bog woodland is a predominantly woodland vegetation with tall, dense tree cover on deep peat. The trees are well grown with a dense canopy. A few remnants of bog vegetation remain in the ground flora although most have been replaced by woodland bryophytes and shrubs. Each of these three types is described and their development is discussed.     

Development of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus Populations in Wood Chips with Different Moisture Contents

Bags of Pinus strobus wood chips with moisture contents of 38, 92, 164, and 217% (oven dry weight) were inoculated with Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and incubated at 30 C in order to determine the effect of wood moisture on nematode population development. Nematodes were extracted after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Population levels were greatest in wood chips with a moisture content of 38% and decreased successively with each higher moisture content. In chips with the three lower moisture contents, populations peaked at 2 weeks, but at 217% moisture, they peaked at 8 weeks. By 12 weeks, nematode populations had declined in wood chips with 92 and 164% moisture contents. The fungi most frequently isolated from the wood chips were Alternaria, Fusarium, Gliocladium, Graphium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, and Mucorales.     

Subcellular compartmentation of elements in non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal roots of Pinus sylvestris: an X-ray microanalytical study. II. The distribution of calcium, potassium and sodium

The inter- and intracellular distribution of the elements calcium, potassium and sodium in non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal roots of Pinus sylvestris dependent on different external nutrient supply conditions was detected by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis after cryofixation, freeze-drying and pressure infiltration of the material. In non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal roots, calcium was mainly detectable in the apoplastic regions. The levels in vacuoles and cytoplasm were near the limits of detection by X-ray microanalysis. Incubation with high concentrations of potassium and sodium, or mycorrhizal infection with Suillus bovinus and Pisolithus tinctorius reduced the amounts of calcium detectable in the roots, especially in the apoplast of cortical cells. The studies revealed that: potassium is mainly localized in cytoplasm and cell walls; the cytoplasmic content is regulated over a wide range of external potassium concentrations; potassium levels in the inner parts of roots are higher than in the outer parts. Mycorrhizal infection with Suillus bovinus had no effect on the inter- and intracellular distribution of potassium in roots but, if the external supply was low, the potassium content in shoots was reduced. In non-mycorrhizal pine roots and those infected with Paxillus involutus an increase in the sodium content of all cell compartments was observed after treatment with high external concentrations of NaH₂PO₄. However, an increase in sodium content in mycorrhizas of S. bovinus was not detected. The X-ray microanalytical results are discussed in relation to the apoplastic movement of nutrients in non-mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal fine roots of pine and to the demand for these nutrients in different intracellular compartments.     

Bursts of CO2 released during freezing offer a new perspective on avoidance of winter embolism in trees

MethodsCO₂ efflux measurements were conducted during freezing experiments for saplings of three Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and three Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees under laboratory conditions, and the magnitudes of the freezing-related bursts of CO₂ released from the stems were analysed using a previously published mechanistic model of CO₂ production, storage, diffusion and efflux from a tree stem. The freezing-related bursts of CO₂ released from a mature Scots pine tree growing in field conditions were also measured and analysed.ConclusionsAll gases dissolved in the xylem sap are not trapped within the ice in the stem during freezing, as has previously been assumed, thus adding a new dimension to the understanding of winter embolism formation. The conduit water volume not only determines the volume of bubbles formed during freezing, but also the efficiency of gas efflux out of the conduit during the freezing process.     

Survival and Infectivity of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in Wood Chip-Soil Mixtures

To determine the effect of soil environment on the life stages and total numbers of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, nematode-infested wood chips alone and mixed with soil were incubated at 12 and 20 C. Nematodes were extracted at 2-week intervals for 12 weeks. Numbers of nematodes and percentage of third-stage dispersal larvae were greater at 12 C and in chips without soil. Percentage of juveniles of the propagative cycle was greater at 20 C and in chips with soil. Although B. xylophilus survived in chips with soil for 12 weeks, nematode numbers and life stage percentages changed little over time. To determine if B. xylophilus was capable of infecting wounded roots, infested and uninfested chips were mixed with soil in pots with white and Scots pine seedlings. Trees were maintained at 20 and 30 C and harvested at mortality or after 12 weeks. Only seedlings treated with infested chips contained nematodes. In field experiments, planted seedlings were mulched with infested chips to determine if nematodes would invade basal stem wounds. Among these trees, Scots pine was more susceptible than white or red pines to infection and mortality.     

高山松及其亲本种群在油松生境下的苗期性状

高山松(Pinus densata)是油松(P. tabuliformis)和云南松(P. yunnanensis)的天然二倍体杂交种, 是为数不多的与亲本种没有严格生殖隔离的同倍体杂交种。为了检测3个种在油松生境下的苗期适应性和生长发育特点, 为高山松成种机制提供数据, 选取了代表高山松及其亲本种遗传多样性的25个种群, 在油松生境下对比分析了苗期11个适应性指标和3个生长发育指标。结果表明, 大部分适应性指标和生长发育指标在种间和种内群体间差异显著, 主要变异存在于种间及种内群体间; 出苗率、2011年11月和2012年10月的封顶率、二年生苗在2012年10月的保存率等指标的种间方差分量较大, 种内变异较小, 是体现种间苗期适应性和生长发育状况的重要指标。油松在大部分适应性指标和3个生长发育指标上均表现最好, 总体适合度高于云南松和高山松; 云南松在封顶率和保存率上都居于最低值, 大部分一年生苗木到11月底仍未出现封顶现象且黄苗比例最高, 二年生苗的存活率为0, 表明云南松在油松生境下适合度最低; 高山松除了在紫苗比例上表现出超亲优势外, 大部分性状居于亲本种之间。此外, 位于青藏高原东北部的高山松祖先种群在适应性上表现较好, 具有在油松生境下发展的潜力; 而位于青藏高原西部的高山松种群及东南部的康定种群对油松生境的适应性较差。研究揭示出生态选择在高山松的同倍性杂交物种形成中起到了关键作用。     

样本量对云南松幼苗生物量模型构建及预估精度的影响

为探究不同样本量对生物量模型构建及建模精度的影响,以实际调查的20个家系,共615株云南松幼苗为例,通过编写计算机程序建立进行简单随机抽样,构建不同样本量云南松幼苗各器官及单株生物量异速生长方程。利用决定系数（R²）、估计值标准误（SEE）、均方根误差（RMSE）、总相对误差（RS）及平均误差绝对值（MAB）,对模型拟合优度与精度进行比较分析。结果表明：幂函数方程可较好地用于估测云南松幼苗生物量;随着样本量的增加模型精度评估指数MAB呈幂函数形式逐渐减小;当样本数量小于200时MAB较为敏感,模型精度较差,样本量大于200时,其精度随样本量逐渐增加,但变化幅度逐步减小并趋于稳定。因此,根据MAB的变化趋势,样本量达到200时可以构建精度较高且稳定模型。     

火炬松成熟合子胚培养直接器官发生和植株再生

基因型Ｈｂ,Ｍａ和Ｍｃ的火炬松成熟合子胚在附加１．０ｍｇ／ＬＮＡＡ,４．０ｍｇ／ＬＢＡ,５００ｍｇ／ＬＬＨ和５００ｍｇ／Ｌ谷氨酰胺的ＴＥ培养基上培养１２周后,在子叶和胚轴部位形成不定芽原基。然后将合子胚转移到附加０．５ｍｇ／／ＬＮＡＡ,０．０５ｍｇ／ＬＩＢＡ,２ｍｇ／ＬＢＡ,５００ｍｇ／ＬＬＨ和５００ｍｇ／Ｌ谷氨酰胺的ＴＥ不定芽分化培养基上,６周后分化产生大量不定芽,３种基因型中,Ｈｂ的直接不定芽